


Space Whales and Gunshot Wounds

by nerdguy3000



Category: Torchwood
Genre: BAMF Ianto, Episode: s02e04 Meat, Hurt Ianto Jones, Hurt/Comfort, Ianto Jones-Centric, M/M, Owen Harper & Ianto Jones Friendship, Protective Jack, Space Whales
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24759673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdguy3000/pseuds/nerdguy3000
Summary: What would have happened in 2x04 (Meat) if the gun Dale fired wasn’t empty?
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Comments: 10
Kudos: 154





	Space Whales and Gunshot Wounds

**Author's Note:**

> Something I’ve wanted to explore for a while and this is my take on that. Enjoy!

There wasn’t even time to think, a gunshot wizzed past his head, the noise left his ears ringing but his hands were free. He turned on his captor, Dale, and lunged, hoping to wrestle the gun away. Ianto knew someone had been shot, he thinks it was Rhys, hopes it was. Not that he would wish that on anyone but the alternatives didn’t bare thinking about. So he didn’t, he focused on making sure none of the following shots hit anything. He tired to block out everything but there was so much noise, the creature crying out as it thrashed, he could hear Jack shouting and Rhys moaning. Still he pushed on, using his whole body to direct the gun away, trying to get it off this deranged lunatic before he caused more harm. 

A pain in his back caused him to cry out as Dale took a swing as him, trying to dislodge Ianto from him gun arm. Then Dale grabbed at his face, a desperate attempt to regain control but Ianto managed to dodge around him and with a well aimed punch he send Dale to the floor and the alien broke out of its bonds and moved towards them. Ianto could hear the sounds on boxes breaking and hoped he wouldn’t be crushed under the weight of the poor, terrified creature. He could hear the cables snapping and hoped that his team stayed out of the way. The size and velocity could easily kill. 

Ianto struck the man under him, hoping to hit with enough force to knock the man out but he had no luck. Before he could strike again Dale had swung his own punch, enough force to knock Ianto off to the side.He scrabbled to retrieve his gun, with a cry of, ‘Die!’ Dale fired the gun, once then twice and with the third shot the gun clicked empty. 

The moment Dale got the gun Ianto rolled,hoping to get to his feet before Dale had the chance to inflict serious damage, even for an amateur it wouldn’t be difficult to deal a lethal shot from that distance. But he wasn’t quick enough to completely avoid the damage. He felt the pain explode in his shoulder and in his side. He gasped desperately for breath, swallowing down the bile that threatened to spill. He could hear Dales retreating footsteps, and started to push himself up, stun gun gripped in his uninjured hand. 

“Ianto! Go after them!” He heard Jack scream, he looked over but was unable to see his lover due to the writhing creature. He still had a job to do so fulled with adrenaline Ianto rushed to follow where Dale had gone, ignoring the pain flaring down his whole left side, he had to finish the job. Jack was in danger as were Tosh, 

Gwen and Rhys. He couldn’t let anything happen to them, he could deal with the pain, if they were okay. He ran though the halls scanning for any sign of the gang when he saw Owen had one pushed up against a door, he went to lend assistance. After stunning the whimpering man Ianto leaned against the door taking deep breaths as Owen turned back to mixing chemicals.

“We’ve gotta help them. Its out of control.” Ianto got out, in between ragged breaths. He could feel the blood seeping out of his wounds, he knew he should stop and ask own for help but Jack and the others needed it more, they had a civilian casualty. And he still had a job to do.

Ianto barely heard Owen as he left to complete his objective. He could hear shouting at the end of the corridor, ‘you went and shot them bruv’. Dale and his companion. He needed to put an end to this, with all the strength he could master he kicked the door open knocking one of the men down, then quickly he stunned him right in the stomach. Quickly he turned to Dale, his vision blurred but he took no notice. He walked towards him calm and composed, kicked the gun away, stumbling gentle but trying not to let it show. 

“Pray they survive,” he bit out before taking the stun gun to Dales head. He had eliminated the main threat. He reached up to his ear hoping for an update on the rest of the team but finding his ear piece missing. Not surprising considering the beating he had taken from Dale. Turning towards the door, intent to make his way back towards the team but as the adrenaline wore off he found his legs started shaking and the world started spinning and before he knew it he was face down on the carpet taking ragged breaths and struggling for conciseness. Praying that someone would find him before he bled out on the rather dirty carpet. 

* * *

Jack could feel the pain of this unidentified alien as it took its whimpering last breath. He closed his eyes resting a hand on the creature, the poor creature tortured by humans for profit. He knew it wasn’t Owens fault but a small amount of anger rose in him at the doctors action. It mostly dissipated when he turned around to the younger man who was distraught with what he had done. Jack couldn’t hold it against him, he had done it to save them, and he was sadly grateful. Being crushed to death was not his idea of a fun afternoon. 

“Owen help Rhys, Tosh help Owen, Ianto...” Jack trailed off in the middle of giving his orders, confused. He remembered telling the younger man to go after the disgusting people who tortured this creature. But that shouldn’t have taken him this long. His hand reached up to his ear piece, “Ianto.” 

His eyes scanned the room as Owen got to work stabilising Rhys, giving him pain killers and working to remove the bullet so they could move him back to the hub where Owen could properly treat his wounds. Then something caught his eye, a pool of blood, and next to it sat Iantos abandoned com unit. Had Jack sent Ianto after criminals when he had been shot? If that was the case Jack wasn’t sure he could forgive himself. Looking over he saw Owen was in the middle of treating Rhys, he couldn’t pull him away, not after all Rhys had done for them. And surely Ianto can’t have been hurt to badly if he was able to walk.

“Tosh grab some supplies and follow me, I think someone else was injured.” Knowing she would follow Jack followed the blood trail, first finding the man who seemed to feel remorse for his actions when confronted then he followed the trail down a long corridor into an office. He saw the two criminals unconscious and IANTO! He dived for the semi aware body of his young lover. 

“Toshiko, in here,” Jack yelled, turning over Ianto gently, trying to ignore the copious amount of blood staining the ugly carpet. There was sluggish bleeding from both wounds, one in his shoulder, seeming having gone straight though, and one in the side of his chest. Ianto let out a low moan, eyelashes fluttering, barely holding on to consciousness. “Ianto, hey handsome. Stay with me. It’s gonna be okay. Stay with me.” 

“Oh my god,” Tosh said, entering the room. She took a deep steading breath then stepped towards her bleeding friend. She knelt down, trying to ignore the squelch of the bloody carpet underneath her knees. She took the gauze dressings she had brought and handed one to Jack, “apply pressure to his shoulder.” He did so, earning him a whimper of pain from Ianto. Tosh then ripped his shirt open so she could have easier access to the wound on his side. Jacks quip about how that was usually more fun died in his throat when he saw the mess Iantos chest was. A mess of bruises and blood. Toshiko stared, shocked at what she was seeing. “Jack this is beyond me, with this wound and his breathing. I think something has punctured a lung. And I think the bullet is still in there.”

“Owen are you done with Rhys?” Jack asked through the Coms. While Tosh attempted to secure the gauze pads as much as possible to try and stem the bleeding.

“Almost Jack, might have been quicker if you’d have left me an assistant. Whats the matter?”

“It’s Ianto, two gsw’s, one close to his ribs, possible pneumothorax but no way to tell. We need you down here.” Tosh reeled off, seeing the look on Jacks face, she knew he couldn’t believe what was happening and was blaming himself. A few moments of tense silence followed. 

“Right that’s Rhys patched up as best I can. Should we maybe phone an ambulance?” Owen suggested collecting his medical kit and heading towards where the others were gathered. 

“No! No ambulances, no police, we have no way of explaining the alien and that’s a hell of a lot of retcon we would have to dish out, it just isn’t practical. We get him stabilised and to the hub.” Jack said, still keeping pressure on Iantos shoulder, another hand gently stroking his cheek. “Gwen how are you doing?”

“I’m- I’m okay Jack. Oh god. I-“

“Look Gwen the rest of us are tied up helping Ianto, I need you to go get the Lorry ready. Get Rhys in the back of it, we’ll join you as soon as we can.” Jack knew giving her a task would help her focus.

“Okay, yeah, okay I can do that.”

Owen have a low whistle as he entered the room. “When he gets injured he really goes for it.”

He crossed the room with quick strides, Tosh moved away, making room for the medic. She had a strong stomach, with everything she’s seen, two bullet wounds shouldn’t be that troubling. But it wasn’t just anyone who had to bullets in them, it was Ianto. The kindest man she had ever met, the brother she had always wanted, her shoulder to cry on. And here he was fighting for his life, his blood stained her hands and she knew it wouldn’t come off, not anytime soon. When Tosh focus again Owen was ordering Jack to bind the wound on Iantos shoulder.

“I can’t treat him here, we need to get him back to the hub. I’d say his left lung is collapsed, probably punctured by a rib.” Owen turned back to his kit to find Ianto some pain relief, “shit! I only took the basic kit, it had one dose of morphine. I just gave it to Rhys.”

Owen worked quickly securing pressure on Iantos chest wound, blocking out the distressed whimpers from the archivist lying on the floor. Owen, for all his cynicism and snide remarks, actually liked Ianto. He practically kept Torchwood running and never asked for any reward. During Jacks absence Ianto picked up the slack that was left, he worked ten times as hard as the rest of them while also keeping the coffee flowing. And Owen was damned if he was gonna lose him. 

“Jack I need you to carry him. Be careful not to put more pressure on his wounds. We have to get him into the van and on the way back to the hub,” Owen ordered, moving to collect his supplies, ready to follow Jack out. 

“Tosh I hate to ask but-“ Jack started, looking around at the mess of an office.

“It’s okay Jack, I’ll begin the clean up. Keep me updated and I’ll get my own way back to the hub as soon as I can,” Tosh reassured the immortal who looked conflicted between needing to make sure Ianto was okay and doing his job. 

He nodded his thanks to her, he knew how desperately she would want to be by Iantos side but she always recognised for duty. Toshiko was something special and Jack made a promise to himself that he would never forget that. Gently Jack gathered the sweating, whimpering mess of his partner in his arms and made his way out of the room, hearing Owens footsteps behind him, jogging to keep up. 

When they arrived at the loading bay Rhys was lying down in the back of the van, Gwen by his head, whispering quiet encouragements. As she saw the others approach she jumped down to help them load the Ianto into the back of the van. He was so pale from the blood loss that Gwen thought he resembled more of a ghost then a man but she refused to dwell of it. 

“I can drive,” Gwen offered, looking back at Rhys, remembering the time he took herout and showed her the ropes of van driving. She knew Jack couldn’t leave Ianto and as much as she didn’t want to leave Rhys she felt guilty, it was her fault Ianto has been shot. 

Jack nodded at her, to focused on making sure the younger man in his arms was as comfortable as possible. He could see the tears running down Iantos face as he tried to keep himself from crying out in pain. He put him down gently on the edge of the van as Owen climbed in and pulled him further back, this elicited a loud groan and all of Iantos wounds were aggravated. 

“Sorry mate,” Owen said grabbing a torch from his kit, it was about to get very dark in here. Jack climbed in behind Owen and sat knelt gently by Iantos side, making sure he was still conscious. He barely noticed Gwen shutting them back of the van, it was only the sudden darkness that alerted him. Owen was bent over Rhys, shining the torch of his wound so he can make sure the bleeding was mostly stemmed. 

“... i- I’m col- AGH.” Ianto screamed as they hit a hole in the road. Jacks hand went to Ianto’s sweat covered face, rubbing a thumb over his cheek. 

“Shh Ianto, shh, I’m here. It’s gonna be okay,” Jack said softy, comforting his small shaking archivist. He quickly shook off his coat and lay it across Ianto, trying to make the young man more comfortable. He took up position at Iantos head, gently stroking his head and whispering words of encouragement and love.

Every bump and pothole in the road left Ianto screaming, with no pain medication be could feel everything that was happening. Jack knew that the sounds would haunt him for the rest of his very long life. There was nothing he could do but keep talking to him, letting him know he is safe and that they’re almost back. 

Owen tried to divided his time between the two injured men but after Iantos third scream of pain anytime Owen tired to get close to Rhys, he waved him away. Rhys like Ianto, he was simple, down to Earth and he had been hurt because of him. Rhys would feel guilty about that for a long time. So Owen focused on Ianto. Mentally preparing a list of equipment he would need when they got back to the hub. The collapsed lung was his top priority, he needed to get a chest tube in as soon as possible, then working on removing the bullet and setting the broken ribs. The shoulder shot, while painful would be okay, it had went straight though, no broken bones. It just needed some stitching. 

The rest of the ride back to the hub would stay with the passengers in the van until the day they died. Agonising screams of pain, accompanied by loud sobbing and the most heartbreaking whimpering. Rhys knew that he was going to curl up with Gwen on their sofa when this was over. Just holding her, knowing that she was alive. The sight of mutilated bodies was nothing knew for the Captain and thedoctor. But the screaming was something all together haunting, and knowing there was nothing they could do it ease it killed them.

Once they arrived at the hub it was all hands on deck. Jack gathered the shaking wreck of his lover in his arms and raced his way into the hub. Gwen having opened the doors ready for him. Jack could hear Owen behind him, giving Gwen orders on equipment to gather and where to bring it. All the immortal could focus on was getting Ianto onto the table in the autopsy bay, hoping that for once it could be used for the living. He lay Ianto flat on the table, seeing the younger man give a gasp as his overheated flesh made contact with the cold metal table. 

Owen was quickly by Ianto’s side pulling on some gloves and taking a peek under the bloody bandages. Jack didn’t miss the grimace that spread on the doctors face. Just as Owen looked up presumably to shout on Gwen, the women appeared with handfuls of equipment. Owen reached for a long, relatively thin metal tube, which he stuck in Ianto’s arm. Within ten seconds the writhing man relaxed and seemed to go slack.

“What did you give him?” Jack asked, rolling up his sleeves and preparing to assist Owen.

“Alien anaesthetic. Jack in gonna need you to stick up his shoulder, nothing fancy, don’t put your initials in his skin.” It was a strained joke but still it put Jack at ease, if Owen was cracking jokes then Ianto was gonna be okay. 

Effortlessly the men worked together, fixing their broken colleague. Gwen had patched up Rhys on the couch and left him to rest as she went back to join Tosh for the clean up. As much as she didn’t want to leave Rhys, she still had a job to do and the situation was partially her fault. Rhys dozed gently, exhausted as the adrenaline of the day wore off. Owen worked hard, harder than he’d ever worked. He ended up having to remove a piece of rib from Ianto’s lung and sew up the hole. A chest tube was quickly put in place. It took him a while to find the bullet but he got it out. It was a long process of stitching and bandaging and trying to keep calm but Owen managed it. 

After Jack had finished with the shoulder he had moved to assit Owen. Acting as a nurse, handing Owen surgical instruments and trying his best to stay calm. It was difficult and Jack was terrified, with every passing second he felt sure he was about to lose him young lover. But after three hours Owen stood up straight, removed his gloves took a deep breath and adresses Jack. “I think he’s gonna be okay, we need to get him into the recovery room so I can monitor him, and I’m sure it’ll be more comfortable to wake up in.

With those words Jack once again gathered Ianto in his arms, Owen picking up the canister used to drain Iantos chest, and headed out of the autopsy bay, past a resting Rhys, down into a small room just off the main area of the hub, in which lay a hospital bed, a heart monitor, an IV stand and an oxygen mask and tank. Jack got Ianto settled gently on the bed, sitting down on the chair next to it, letting Owen hook Ianto up to the various pieces of equipment. He held Ianto’s hand in his own, running his hand along Ianto’s knuckles. Owen said nothing as he finished setting up then gave Jack a silent nod and headed out of the room. 

The stress of the day began to leave Jack as he held onto Ianto’s hand, everything with Rhys and Gwen, the poor alien that had been killed, Rhys being shot and Ianto being shot but still getting up to do this job. He felt the silent tears begin to fall down his face and took a shuddering breath and he looked at his young lover, so pale and close to death, because of him, because Ianto would always follow Jacks orders. His jaw was bruised from the fist fight, Ianto’s chest was still exposed so Jack could see the bandages on his shoulder, hiding Jack’s somewhat messy stitching. There were bandages wrapped all around Ianto’s chest, helping bind his ribs, Jack had taken a glace at his chest while he had been stitching and it made him sick to his stomach, seeing the bones mangled. It’s not that he hadn’t seen horrific injures in his long life, he’d even inflicted some, but seeing this small fragile man who he was growing to- growing to love, injured in such a painful and bloody way truly broke Jacks heart. It had been less painful when the Master had physical ripped Jack heart out of his own chest. 

He banished all the thoughts of that year out of his mind and vowed to himself that he was going to look after and protect Ianto, with every dying breath. 

* * *

Ianto awake to a quiet steady beeping sound. The second thing he registered was the sound on pen on paper. The third was an intense pain in his side, and he gasped, opening his eyes. Looking down he saw the mess of bandages covering hischest, the most likely source of his pain. 

“Ianto?” The quiet utterance of his name made him look up, into the concerned eyes of his lover. He was stood by Ianto’s bedside but past him Ianto could see a small desk with papers on it. “Welcome back, how’re you feeling?”

“Hurts,” was all Ianto could gasp out, feeling rather breathless and incredible sore. He saw Jack nod and reluctantly head towards the door where he stepped out and hollered for Owen. 

Quickly the doctor was in the room, checking how Ianto was, administering pain medication, checking the chest drain,checking Ianto’s breathing, making sure the IV was okay, all in a flurry of frenzied motions. When Owen finally stepped back, Ianto let out a quiet sign of relief. 

“Right, you’ve been out for two days, you need to stay in that bed for another two weeks. No doing anything in the hub, not even making coffee, we’ll cope.” He added at Jacks look then continue, “you tell me if anything starts to hurt okay? Oh and no extracurricular activities for at least a month. With that chest tube in you can hardly breathe as it is.” 

“Never thought you cared to much,” Ianto asked with an amused tone. It was quite funny to see the usually stoic medic clucking all over him like a mother hen.

“Well I’m a little particular about people staying alive after a put some of my best stitches in them,” Owen retorted, “besides, no one else know how to work the coffee machine.” 

“Thank you,” Ianto said solemnly. He was truly grateful for what Owen had done for him.

“Yeah well just get better, we’re all having withdrawal symptoms from your coffee.” With those finally words Owen left, content Ianto was okay.

“How are you doing Jack?” Ianto asked, surprising the immortal.

“Hey, I thought that was my line?” Jack joked but Ianto could see the tension in his body. Ianto just raised an eyebrow, not content with that answer. Jack sighed heavily then continued, “I’m okay now you are. But you can’t keep getting shot.”

“No promises.” Ianto knew that Jack would understand. In their line of work they could never make a promise like that. He gently moved himself over to one side of the bed, and patted the remaining area of bed, “come on.”

“But Owen..” Jack trailed off nervously.

“It’s never been this hard or get you into bed before,” Ianto joked, “nothings going to happen, we both need sleep.”

Jack nodded and smiled at the perceptiveness of his lover. Of course he knew that Jack wouldn’t have slept, Ianto knew everything of course. Like that right now, Jack just needed to be held, needed to know that it was okay and that he was okay.

So for the first time in days Jack relaxed in the strong arms of his handsome Welshman. He could hear Ianto’s heartbeat and let it lull him to sleep, the last thing he felt before succumbing to his bodies needs was a gentle kiss pressed to the top of his hair.

He was safe.

**Author's Note:**

> All feedback is appreciated!
> 
> I was thinking about doing a few more chapters, one about what happened while Ianto was sleep, people coming to sit with him while he’s on bed rest. That sort of stuff but I’m not promising anything.


End file.
